The Project Scope:
- Definition of the meeting purpose
- Definition of the meeting format
- Selection & recruitment of new participants
- Communication & moderation
Flix’s bright green buses and trains are practically shorthand for affordable travel, crisscrossing 40 countries and connecting people to more than 5,600 destinations. Behind the scenes, the HR teams in Berlin and Munich shape the employee experience for 2,500 Flixies across four continents - no small task when every new people product needs thoughtful, early feedback.
To make this happen, the team hosted a monthly HR Sounding Board with senior leaders. As the interim Senior HR Communication & Project Manager, I stepped in to organize and facilitate the meetings - and quickly sensed that this gathering needed a refresh. A few voices dominated, some leaders sent junior stand-ins who stayed silent, and then came the question that made everything crystal clear: “What’s the purpose of this meeting?”
That simple question opened the door to something better. Working with HR senior leadership, I clarified the true purpose: to create a space where senior leaders could offer early, meaningful feedback on HR products still in development. We also set clearer expectations - leaders would come prepared, stay present, and champion the products once they launched.
“What’s the purpose of this meeting?”
With that foundation in place, I turned to the participant list. The meeting had swelled to 20 people, far too many for a real conversation. Together with the senior HR team, I designed a tighter group of 12 - balanced across gender, geography, and organizational perspective, including fresh voices from emerging leaders and employee representation.
Then came the delicate part: communicating the change. During a Sounding Board session, I explained the refresh and why the group would be smaller going forward. Afterward, our SVP thanked those stepping out, and I personally invited the new members, sharing the refreshed purpose and expectations.
Within a month, the transformation was obvious. Conversations grew livelier - sometimes spilling into Teams chats afterward. HR leaders gained sharper insights, and with a smaller, more committed group, everyone’s voice finally had room to be heard. The refreshed meeting became exactly what it was meant to be: a dynamic space where leaders could help shape the people products that shape life at Flix.
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